“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
“And there was a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind Him (Jesus) and touched the fringe of His garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased…And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.'” (Luke 8:43, 44, 48)
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1, 2)
The Gospels tell the gripping story of a woman who did not have peace. She was sick…dying and had exhausted all the resources at her disposal to find healing. For twelve long years she had searched for relief…to find rest, but she had come up empty. Then came Jesus. She had heard of this man and that He was a healer. Could He heal her? Could He bring an end to her suffering? She was at rock bottom…the end of her rope. But, she had nothing to offer Him. She was considered unclean…an outcast. He wouldn’t give her the time of day. But…maybe…if she could get close enough, she could just touch Him or the edge of His cloak? It was her only hope.
How long have you been sick? How long have you been searching for relief from your suffering? You have tried everything to stop the internal bleeding caused by your sinful condition, but there is no peace. The cures this world has to offer are temporary and superficial and you have been left worse than before. Then came Jesus.
I believe that the amount of peace we experience in our lives is directly related to our proximity to Jesus…our faith in Him. “Just a touch” was her thought and she was right. She was healed and, more importantly, she found peace. Jesus said that it was her faith that healed her and finally brought her the peace she had been longing for.
The Gospel…the Good News for us today is that we can find that same healing…that same fulfillment…that same peace when we come to the cross of Jesus. Paul says in the verses above that we have been “justified” by faith…”healed” and, therefore, we can have peace with God.
Are you tired of chasing the latest trends and prescriptions the world has to offer to find peace? The shallow promises to find the deep healing that you long for have failed and left you empty. Take heart, there is hope. It is the cross of Jesus that opens the door for us all to experience that peace.
Today, reach out to Jesus. Just a touch and you will find that He is faithful. Today you can hear the words of Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”